The video pictures of the execution showed five men wearing headscarves and black ski masks, standing over a bound man in an orange jumpsuit — similar to a prisoner’s uniform — who identified himself as Nick Berg, a U.S. civilian whose body was found on a highway overpass in Baghdad on Saturday. “My name is Nick Berg, my father’s name is Michael, my mother’s name is Suzanne,” the man said on the video. “I have a brother and sister, David and Sarah. I live in ... Philadelphia.”

On the Web site, one of the executioners read a statement:
“For the mothers and wives of American soldiers, we tell you that we offered the U.S. administration to exchange this hostage with some of the detainees in Abu Ghraib and they refused.”
"So we tell you that the dignity of the Muslim men and women in Abu Ghraib and others is not redeemed except by blood and souls. You will not receive anything from us but coffins after coffins ... slaughtered in this way.”

The Web site on which the video was posted is known as a clearing house for al-Qaida and Islamic extremist groups’ statements and tapes. An audiotape purportedly from bin Laden — which the CIA said was probably authentic — appeared on the same Web site last week.

Bush threatened
In the video, the speaker threatened both President Bush and Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf. “As for you Bush ... expect severe days. You and your soldiers will regret the day you stepped into the land of Iraq,” he said. He described Musharraf as “a traitor agent.”

The slaying recalled the kidnapping and videotaped beheading of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl in 2002 in Pakistan. Four Islamic militants have been convicted of kidnapping Pearl, but seven other suspects — including those who allegedly slit his throat — remain at large.

Suzanne Berg, the mother of the 26-year-old Berg, of West Chester, Pa., said her son was in Iraq as an independent businessman to help rebuild communication antennas. He had been missing since April 9, she said. “He had this idea that he could help rebuild the infrastructure,” she said.

The U.S. military Tuesday said an American civilian was found dead in Baghdad, but did not release his identity. State Department spokeswoman Susan Pittman said she couldn’t release the name of the dead American, but said she not aware of more than one civilian found dead in recent days. The military said there were signs of trauma to the body. Suzanne Berg said she was told her son’s death was violent but did not want to discuss details.